Discharge is the exciting debut album by the Brazilian band Electric Mob. Consisting of Renan Zonta on vocals, Ben Hur Auwarter on guitar, Yuri Elero on bass, and André Leister on drums, Electric Mob has truly thrown the gauntlet down on this album. Mixing hard rock influences from the 70s through to 90s, with a smattering of blues, the band carves out their own unique sound with Discharge which speaks to something primal in your soul.
From the intro of the album to that first blast of ‘Devil You Know’ with its undercurrent of the sound of South American indigenous people, it’s clear this album is going to be something special. This is just the first of many stand-out tracks on this incredible debut album. As it expands, we get ‘King’s Ale’, which is full of funky and groovetastic swagger. Up next we have ‘Got Me Runnin’, with soaring vocals and amazing sonic structures, this is bound to be a future live favourite among fans. Sounding like it would feel at home on the Sunset Strip circa 1987, ‘Far Off’ is a bombastic hard rocker driven along by crunchy riffs and thunderous drums.
When we reach the middle of the album with ‘Your Ghost’, we get a wistful, stripped back acoustic guitar and accompanying whistle. As the sound of western winds begin to blow, Renan’s haunting vocal chimes in, followed by the accompanying instruments. Featuring some sublime slide work by Ben, and a delta blues stomp beat on the drums courtesy of André, this melancholy song is brought together by Yuri’s brooding bassline. For me, this is the stand-out track on the album, and truly shows off the amazing musicianship of this up-and-coming band. Stadium rocker ‘Gypsy Touch’ is going to get crowds pumping their fists in the air as they sing along with the anthemic chorus. One of the more alt. rock tracks on the album, ‘1 2 3 Burn’ winds its way into your brain and explodes in a cacophony of sound.
‘Upside Down’ is a balls-to-the-wall sonic machinegun of an alt-rock anthem that goes full tilt from start to finish. Another stand-out track on the album, the band really slaps down the funk with ‘Higher Than Your Heels’. Between Renan’s vocal acrobatics and Yuri’s groove-laden basslines, this song just struts. I particularly love the pops of brass as the song slithers on. You can really hear an Audioslave influence on ‘Brand New Rope’ as it opens, but that’s where the comparisons end. Proving once again that this is a band with their own defined sound, they compliment their influences, but they are not bound by them. As the album closes on the raw and raucous ‘We Are Wrong’, it is clear that the future of rock is in good hands if we have bands like Electric Mob to look after it.
Listening to the album, it strikes me that Renan’s striking vocals are akin to a mixture of Layne Staley, Glen Hughes, David Coverdale, and Scott Weiland. Not only is it sonically unique, but the range he can command is nothing short of incredible. However, every member of this band just comes across as being at the top of their game. Expertly mixed and engineered, Discharge features eleven tightly written and superbly performed songs, with the sound of a band that has been at this for years. Frontiers refer to Electric Mob as “One of rock’s most exciting and promising newcomers in years,” and I have to agree. From the very first time I heard the band earlier this year I was hooked and was eagerly awaiting the album. The band itself said, “All you rockers out there can expect something like a flying dropkick with both feet right in your chest! And for those of you who don’t know us yet, watch out, because we are coming!” Now that I’ve heard it, I think it’s safe to say that Discharge is more than worthy of such hype. Do yourself a favour and get a copy and prepare to have your mind blown!
